Grant Sanderson: 3Blue1Brown and the Beauty of Mathematics
Jan 7, 2020
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Grant Sanderson, a math educator and creator of the captivating YouTube channel 3Blue1Brown, dives into the beauty of mathematics. He discusses whether math is discovered or invented and ponders what alien civilizations might consider mathematical. The conversation explores the concepts of Euler's identity, the nature of reality, and the fascinating relationship between mathematics and music. Grant emphasizes the importance of visualization in learning, shares his favorite video creation moments, and reflects on the joy of understanding math.
Math notation influences our thinking and alternative notations can offer deeper insights.
Math is both an invention based on physical observations and an abstraction with its own generality.
Presenting mathematical concepts from diverse perspectives can create compelling and beautiful explanations.
Deep dives
The Beauty of Math Notation and Discovering New Mathematical Concepts
In this podcast episode, Grant Sanderson discusses the beauty of math notation and the process of discovering new mathematical concepts. He emphasizes how notation can influence the way we think about mathematical ideas and how it is important to consider alternative notations that may provide deeper insights. Sanderson also explores the relationship between physics and math, stating that math is an invention rooted in physical observations, but it also has its own abstraction and generality. He touches on the concept of simulations, stating that it is conceivable that we might be living in a simulation, but the limits of information processing in our universe might curb the possibility of infinite layers of simulations. Overall, Sanderson highlights the intrinsic beauty and mystery of mathematics.
Topology and the Inscribed Square Problem
Grant Sanderson shares his experience creating a video on topology, focusing on the inscribed square problem. He explains how the topic seemed initially useless but discovered its significance in mathematics. Sanderson describes the challenge of presenting abstract concepts visually, using examples like the Mobius strip and torus to illustrate ideas in topology. He highlights the satisfaction of seeing a specific instance of an abstract mathematical concept come to life through visualization. Sanderson also touches on the importance of empathizing with his past self and other learners when evaluating the clarity and beauty of his explanations.
Different Perspectives on Neural Networks and Multiple Views of Mathematical Concepts
Grant Sanderson explores the idea of presenting mathematical concepts from different perspectives using neural networks as an example. He discusses how varying viewpoints, such as from physics, neuroscience, robotics, learning theory, or statistics, can create diverse and equally compelling presentations of a basic concept. Sanderson acknowledges that there are multiple ways to approach and understand mathematical ideas, and he highlights the importance of creativity and genius in conveying these concepts in a beautiful and engaging manner.
The Physical Limitations of Information Storage
The podcast episode explores the limits on how much information can be stored in our universe. It discusses how physical laws, like general relativity, impose constraints on the amount of information that can be stored within a given space before it collapses into a black hole. This revelation challenges the notion that technology can always improve and allow for infinite information storage. It suggests that there may exist a limit to the complexity and size of simulations that are possible within the highest level of existence.
Abstraction and the Concept of Infinity
The podcast delves into the concept of infinity and its role in mathematics. It discusses how infinity is not a physical entity but rather an abstraction that allows us to conceptualize and understand the world. Infinity represents the property of always being able to add one more, and this attribute gives it the nature of infiniteness. The episode highlights the importance of abstraction in mathematics, as it enables us to build layers of understanding and create powerful frameworks for comprehending the universe. It emphasizes the inherent beauty and mystery of mathematical ideas, which continue to captivate and inspire.
Grant Sanderson is a math educator and creator of 3Blue1Brown, a popular YouTube channel that uses programmatically-animated visualizations to explain concepts in linear algebra, calculus, and other fields of mathematics.
This conversation is part of the Artificial Intelligence podcast. If you would like to get more information about this podcast go to https://lexfridman.com/ai or connect with @lexfridman on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Medium, or YouTube where you can watch the video versions of these conversations. If you enjoy the podcast, please rate it 5 stars on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify, or support it on Patreon.
This episode is presented by Cash App. Download it (App Store, Google Play), use code “LexPodcast”.
Here’s the outline of the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
00:00 – Introduction
01:56 – What kind of math would aliens have?
03:48 – Euler’s identity and the least favorite piece of notation
10:31 – Is math discovered or invented?
14:30 – Difference between physics and math
17:24 – Why is reality compressible into simple equations?
21:44 – Are we living in a simulation?
26:27 – Infinity and abstractions
35:48 – Most beautiful idea in mathematics
41:32 – Favorite video to create
45:04 – Video creation process
50:04 – Euler identity
51:47 – Mortality and meaning
55:16 – How do you know when a video is done?
56:18 – What is the best way to learn math for beginners?
59:17 – Happy moment
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